Streamlined News: Previewing a Weekend of High School Meets

PHOENIX, Arizona, February 8. TODAY's streamlined news is all about high school. A number of states are holding their high school state swim and dive championship meets this weekend, including Colorado, the home state of Missy Franklin. Franklin will be swimming her last high school state meet today and tomorrow representing Regis Jesuit. She is entered in the 200 IM and 500 freestyle; events that are far deviants from her typical backstroke-centered swimming schedule. Although Franklin will be racing the meet at altitude, she still has a chance to claim Kathleen Hersey's National Independent Record in the 200IM, a 1:57.41.

There was some controversy at the beginning of this year's high school season about whether or not Franklin should compete. One of the arguments against her competing was a complaint about deck space; since her mere presence draws additional spectators to otherwise parent-centered high school meets. The Colorado high school state championships will undoubtedly draw huge crowds to the EPIC pool in Fort Collins. Hopefully the indoor facility will be able to accommodate the Missy Franklin fan club.

High school senior Jack Conger will also be making a run at several records this weekend at the Washington Metro Interscholastic Swimming and Diving Championships. First up is the historic 30-year-old 500 freestyle national high school record, set by two-time Olympian Jeff Kostoff. Last year, Conger missed the record by only 1.12 seconds. Then he'll to snag Ryan Murphy's 100 backstroke national high school record, which Murphy set this past November at the Florida State Championships.

Other states holding their high school state championships include Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Tennessee and Utah. You can visit SwimmingWorld.com for results and highlights.